INDY › I’d been living in Raleigh less than two months when I bit into an apple one morning and a piece of my veneer popped off. With no dentist in the area, a series of interviews lined up, and an awkward, gimpy excuse for a tooth, I naturally began to panic. Then a friend recommended Riccobene. The minute I got on the phone with their receptionist, I felt better. She was gracious, kind, and willing to accommodate me on short notice. When it came time to finally replace my long-lost tooth, they did an exceptional job at a reasonable price. It’s hard to fairly assess the area’s “best” dentist—most of us haven’t sampled a wide enough variety of practitioners to make those judgments with any credibility—but Riccobene won my loyalty. [EH]

Best Place to HikeEno River State ParkFinalists: Umstead State Park, Duke Forest, American Tobacco Trail

INDY › The Triangle has no shortage of excellent hiking trails, including at the Umstead and Eno state parks. And most of them share similar characteristics—the oak and pine canopy that fills in by spring, for instance, and the creeks that allow your four-legged friends to cool their fur or grab a drink in the summer heat. Most also have inclines and declines; that is the nature of the area’s topography, after all. But if you’re in the mood for something different, head out to Hillsborough and the Occoneechee Mountain State Park (625 Virginia Cates Road). No, it’s not really a mountain; and no, the hike itself isn’t altogether that challenging. But it is the steepest elevation around, and once you get to the top, the payoff is a hell of a view. [JCB]

INDY › You could drop a bunch of coin on classes at some gym, but here’s a cheaper alternative to keeping in shape: lace up your running shoes and run along the Capitol Area Greenway, a beautiful, massive, free trail system spanning more than one hundred miles throughout Wake County. (Some personal favorites: the Neuse River and Crabtree Creek trails; Wake’s greenway system also includes a 6.5-mile section of the 23-mile American Tobacco Trail and the Walnut Creek trail, which intersects with Lake Johnson and the Neuse River trail. Yeah, it’s that big.) Along the way, you can expect to see bikers, runners, power walkers, leafy trees, swollen creeks, enthusiastic dogs, and even the occasional snake (beware). The trails are a nice, accessible escape from city life, and rarely crowded—they’re especially tranquil most mornings. If you don’t feel like breaking the bank for a workout class, you don’t have to. Just hit the trail. [EH]